06 Apr 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Book Changes, Devotee's, Rupanuga das
Tags: Bhagavad-gita As It Is, book changes, grammatical and spelling errors only, interpolation, Rupanuga das, scientific evaluation, Srila Prabhupada's books, Teachings of Lord Caitanya
A Scientific Method for Evaluating Editorial Changes to Srila Prabhupada’s Books
By: Sriman Rupanuga Prabhu
“Our editing is to correct grammatical and spelling errors only, without interpolation of style or philosophy.” (Letter to Rupanuga, 2/17/70)
Previous evaluations of the editorial changes focused on descriptions of the changes and references to pre-publication drafts rather than a factual quantification and comparative philosophical analysis. This article presents a scientific evaluation of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is and the Teachings of Lord Caitanya. The results demonstrate if the revised editions followed Srila Prabhupada’s editorial policy and if they are genuine, authentic revisions that preserve the original content, philosophy and style.
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06 Apr 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Jayananda Thakur
Tags: A Day in the Life of Jayananda Thakur, Jayananda das, Jayananda Thakur, Lady Subhadra, Rathayathra cart, Rathayathra Festival, Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple, Valentia, Vishoka das
A Day in the Life of Jayananda Thakur
Chapter One
By Sriman Vishoka Prabhu
As promised, we are posting some of the new book on Jayananda Thakur, entitled “A Day in the Life of Jayananda Thakur”, which has yet to be published, and is beautifully written by Vishoka Prabhu. He has kindly offered to let us post some of the new book before it arrives at the printers, and hopefully it will be nearing completion soon. The following is the first part of Chapter One. We will include the rest of the chapter in a later post, so stay tuned for more Jayananda Nectar.
Chapter One
4:00 am, summer of 1975, Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple, Valentia Street, San Francisco.
Jayananda’s dream-
Amidst a kaleidoscope of swirling colors and loud kirtan, Lord Jagannatha’s beautiful face smiles benevolently at His many devotees … as He sits upon His royal throne, situated within the majestic and colorful decor of His opulent carriage. Srila Prabhupada rides upon Lady Subhadra’s cart, while Jayananda dances jubilantly within the grand procession of enthusiastically chanting and dancing devotees.
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03 Apr 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Hayagriva das, The Hare Krishna Explosion
Tags: Avalon Ballroom, chant, Fillmore, Golden Gate Park, hayagriva das, hippies, kirtan, Morning Star Ranch, Psychedelic Shop, Sumer of Love, Swamiji
The Hare Krishna Explosion
by Hayagriva das
Part II: San Francisco, 1967
Chapter 10
Soul Struck
During April and May, tourism and hippy fantasy soar to rare heights in the Haight-Ashbury. Like a Mardi Gras carnival, the celebration is cresting, rushing toward some indefinite Ash Wednesday.
Kirtans are wild and uninhibited. We often chant at the Fillmore and Avalon ballrooms, during intermissions between rock groups. A “Summer of Love” festival is organized, and we chant at be-in’s in Golden Gate Park, at the YMCA and Psychedelic Shop, and with hippy sun worshipers at Morning Star Ranch.
The spring passes so quickly, perhaps because its days are filled with long hours of sunshine and festivity. Youths from all sections of the nation roam and lounge throughout the park, barefoot and dungareed, leisurely creating what they hope is a new community of love and peace, a world where no one is over thirty, where there is no violence, ignorance or death. And they chant Hare Krishna because they see ISKCON as an exotic flower in the hippy bouquet, something even further removed from twentieth century America, from the political activists and their endless strife. Generally, activists and Negroes shun us, considering us on far-out trips, dabbling in the cultures of undeveloped nations.
But what do they know of Krishna? Or of Swamiji? What do any of us really know?
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02 Apr 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Bhakti Caru Swami, Devotee's, Remembering Srila Prabhupada
Tags: Bhakti Caru Swami, devotees, disappearance day offering, disappearance pastimes, final instructions, His Divine Grace, just maintain what I have given you
Disappearance Day offering to Srila Prabhupada
June 16, 2010
By Bhakti Caru Swami
Why do we hesitate to tell a new comer who is searching for a guru that Srila Prabhupada, the best guru the world has ever seen, is still here, and one can surrender unto him and go back to Godhead very easily? When we have such a great good fortune, why do we not take full advantage of it?
…Prabhupada did not say anything and then in a very soft voice he told me, “Didn’t I teach you that the spirit soul is eternal and he never dies?”
That one statement gave me a profound realization: how could the person who taught me that the spirit soul never dies ever die himself? He will always be with us, although some day he may disappear from our mundane vision.
But today, when I look back, I can see that soon after Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance we took it for granted that Srila Prabhupada is not here any more – like any other mortal, as he left his body, he is no more. I very strongly feel that this is the greatest mistake we have made. And as a result, ISKCON today is in such a critical condition. Now that we assembled here to celebrate Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance pastime, once and for all let us recognize that Srila Prabhupada has not gone away.
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01 Apr 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Book Changes, Punya das
Tags: Bhumi, book changes, global movement, guru, Gurudas, Krishna devotee, Laxman, Punya das, pure devotee, Radha Krishna, sound incarnation, Vayu, Visvasvan
Glorification of the Guru Who Lives in His Books
Mar 29, 2011 — BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, USA (SUN)
By Punya das
Guru das watched Prabhupada laughing while reading his Krsna book.
Guru Das: “Prabhupada, you’re laughing at your own books.”
Prabhupada: “I did not write these books, Krsna wrote them!”
Srila Prabhupada, Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet Your Divine Grace. My words cannot begin to show my gratitude for all the things you gave this world. Anyone is fortunate enough to be able to have the association of Krishna’s pure devotee, THE guru who lives in His books. Inspired by your association, your global movement continues to give birth daily to billions of sound incarnations of Radha-Krishna, 24/7/365. They are dancing round the universe and purifying it. You said when we chant Hare Krsna, the Divine Couple personally appear. It does not get any better than that, to be in the presence of Krsna, being purified by His Personal Association.
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01 Apr 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee Books, Jayananda Thakur
Tags: Jayananda, Krishna, San Francisco temple, sankirtan festivals, spiritual relationship, Srila Prabhupada, The Beautiful Life of Jayananda Thakur, tribute, Vishoka das
The following is the introduction to the new book, soon to be released, on Jayananda Thakur, beautifully written by Sriman Vishoka Prabhu. Many of you remember Vishoka’s first book; “The Beautiful Life of Jayananda Thakur”, which was Vishoka’s tribute to Jayananda and portrays the beauty of something rarely seen-a genuinely happy man, experiencing a perfect life and death.
We will continue to post the chapters as they are released, so stay tuned.
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26 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Jaganatha das, The Hare Krishna Movement
Tags: chanters, Christmas, Hare Krishna Devotees, Iskcon, Jagannatha das, shaved heads, Srila Prabhupada's books
Minor History of ISKCON
BY: JAGANNATHA DASA
Mar 25, 2011 — USA (SUN) —
Part 2 – First Times
The first time that I saw the Hare Krishna devotees was in 1969. My father took me to his job in Manhattan. He was employed as a printer for a public relations company on Lexington Avenue and 59th Street. I spent the day collating stacks of papers. I was 14 years old at the time.
My father took me out to eat during his lunch break. We were walking down a typical crowded city street when I was stopped in my tracks.
A group of about a dozen young men and women wearing pink, white, orange and different colored robes were dancing and singing. They were lined up in a row along the curb, men on one end and ladies on the other end, swaying side to side in rhythm with the music. The men all had shaved heads. They were playing drums and cymbals.
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25 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Hayagriva das, The Hare Krishna Explosion
Tags: Balarama, ephemeral glitter of psychedelia, Flowers for Lord Jagannatha, Golden Gate Park, Haight, hayagriva das, hippies, India's Brijbasi Company, Nalakurvara and Manigriva, psychedelic shops, Shyamasundar das, Subhadra, Swamiji, the hare krishna explosion, The Oracle, Vietnam War
The Hare Krishna Explosion
by Hayagriva das
Part II: San Francisco, 1967
Chapter 8
Flowers for Lord Jagannatha
The days of February are beautiful with perfect temperatures in the seventies, fog rolling off early, skies very blue and clear, sun falling bright and sharp on the lush foliage of Golden Gate Park. The park encloses the largest variety of plant and tree life to be found in any one spot on earth. We are at a loss to identify plants for Swamiji.
“When Chaitanya Mahaprabhu passed through the forests, all the plants, trees and creepers were delighted to see Him and rejoiced in His presence. Plant life is like that in the spiritual sky—fully conscious.”
“And these trees, Swamiji? How conscious are they?”
“Oh, spirit soul is there, but consciousness has been arrested temporarily. Perception is more limited.”
Swamiji strolls by men playing checkers, passes beneath the tall oaks, past the shuffleboard court, then stops and turns to speak.
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23 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Book Changes, Devotee's, Locanananda das
Tags: bhagavad-gita, Gupta das, hansadutta das, Hare Krishna, Krsna Book, Locnananda das, Srila Prabhupada's original books, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, true potency of the Hare Krishna Movement
Why Not Just Print Prabhupada’s Original Books
By Sriman Locanananda Prabhu
Srila Prabhupada said that our purpose was unity, and even though the legal documents seem to create a workable arrangement by which both editions of his books can be made available, the true potency of the Hare Krishna movement will be manifested when the deviation is removed and we are all distributing the same Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the same Krishna Book and the same Teachings of Lord Caitanya, just as we all chant the same Mahamantra, offer obeisances to the same spiritual master and worship the same Supreme Personality of Godhead
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15 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Book Changes, Devotee's, Gauridas Pandit das
Tags: book changes, disciple, ecstasu of the spiritual master, edit, Gauridas Pandit dasa, Sri Isopanissad, Srila Prabhupada, translate, Vrindavan
“Do Not Change My Words” — Prabhupada
Testimonials — By Gauridas Pandit dasa on January 30, 1998 at 8:37 am
Srila Prabhupada used to like to sit in his garden in Vrindavan especially in the mornings. He liked to hear his books read to him daily. One time Yasodanandan Prabhu was reading Sri Isopanisad when Srila Prabhupada stopped him and asked him to reread the last paragraph. After hearing it again Srila Prabhupada said, “Those are not my words! They are changing my words! Is my English not good enough?” Srila Prabhupada became very angry and continued, “This is the worst thing a disciple can do! Do not become like a leap frog and try to jump over the spiritual master thinking you know better than him. Tell them immediately [the editors] do not change my words!”
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14 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Arsha Prayoga, Bhagavad-gita, Book Changes, Locanananda das
Tags: 1972 MacMillian, 1972 printing, Arsha Prayoga, BBT, bhagavad-gita, book changes, Hare Krishna, Krsna consciousness movement, Locanananda das, Maha Mantra, original edition, revised and enlarged edition, Srila Prabhupada
EDITORIAL
BY LOCANANANDA DAS – 11-01-04
While planning to print the unabridged version of the Bhagavad-gita, Srila Prabhupada often referred to it as the revised and enlarged edition. When the BBT published its unauthorized adulterated Gita years later, they would henceforward refer to the 1972 printing as the original edition while calling theirs the revised and enlarged edition. This appears to be a subtle act of deception meant to validate the irreverent practice of changing Srila Prabhupada’s Books.
The remainder of this article will focus mainly on the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, which contains the essence of Vaishnava philosophy. Srila Prabhupada said that the Krishna consciousness movement is genuine, historically authorized, natural and transcendental due to its being based on the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. It was his conviction that the entire human society could embrace one God, Krishna, and live harmoniously by practicing one religion, devotional service to God, by chanting one mantra, the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, and by following one scripture, the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Because the Bhagavad-gita is so vitally important to the spreading of Krishna consciousness, the adverse effect of changing its original wording without the approval of the Acharya can hardly be estimated.
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13 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Hayagriva das, The Hare Krishna Explosion
Tags: Allen Ginsberg, bhagavad-gita, bohemians, Digger's, gathering of the tribes, Golden Gate Park, Grateful Dead, Haight Ashbury, Hayagriva, Hell's Angels, hippies, Janis Joplin, Kirtanananda, LSD, Mantra Rock, matchless gifts, Mukunda, psychedelic age, San Francisco 1967, Srila Prabhuapada, Swamiji
The Hare Krishna Explosion
by Hayagriva das
Part II: San Francisco, 1967
Chapter 7
Swami in Hippyland
January 17, 1967. When Swamiji descends from the plane and enters the San Francisco airport, he is greeted by a group of about fifty young people. As he is questioned by the press, he extends his usual transcendental invitations.
“We welcome everyone, in any condition of life, to come to our temple and hear the message of Krishna consciousness,” he says.
“Does that include Haight-Ashbury hippies and bohemians?” a reporter asks.
“Everyone, including you or anyone else,” Swamiji says. “Whatever you are—what you call an acid-head, or hippy, or whatever—what you are doesn’t matter. Once you are accepted for training, you will change.”
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12 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Sriman George Harrison
Tags: Bala Gopal, Bhaktivedanta Manor, England 1993, Gurudas, Lokadrsti, Malati, Mukunda, Shyamasundar, Sri Gandhari, Sriman George Harrison
Remembering George Harrison
By Lokadrsti devi dasi
Haribol!
I’ll try to put it down in print.
It was at Bhakitivedanta Manor in England 1993. The first Prabhupada reunion they had. So it was the first time the original devotees who went to England met up for the first time for 10 yrs. or more. Malati, Shyamasundar, Guru das, Mukunda Maharaja and alot of old Prabhupada disciples who had alot of association with Srila Prabhupada in England.
We had set up a large stage outside so everyone sat on the grass in the cow field. My service was decorating the stage to give it a more transcendental appearance. So I was a bit tired and sat at the back of all the devotees with my friend Bala Gopal to the left of me and my daughter, Sri Gandhari to the right.
Everyone was dressed in devotee garb so I noticed this person dressed in blue jeans and blue jean jacket and looked him straight in the eye. He seemed a little scared so I thought he was a new guest. Timidly, he sat right next to Sri Gandhari. Then my friend whispers “there’s George” and a fool as I am, says out loud ” George who?”
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11 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Book Distribution, Devotee's, Vaisesika das
Tags: BBT, Bhagavad Gita, Book Distribution, Caitanya Caritamrta, devotees, Goethe, Hari Nama Sankirtan, Helen Keller, Vaisesika Dasa
Be Bold
By: Vaisesika Dasa
Dear Devotees,
Please accept my humble pranams at your feet. All glories to the founder/Acarya of ISKCON and his unparalleled books.
Srila Prabhupada made our lives exciting. He pushed us and he was definitely not accustomed to thinking small. In thinking of what my life was like while Srila Prabhupada walked the planet, I often recall a famous quotation from Helen Keller: “Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”
Life with Srila Prabhupada was and still is a daring adventure.
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08 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Hayagriva das, The Hare Krishna Explosion
Tags: Allen Ginsberg, back to Godhead, hayagriva das, Krishna consciousness, Mantra Rock, Swamiji, the hare krishna explosion, The Hare Krishna Movement
The Hare Krishna Explosion
by Hayagriva das
Part I: New York, 1966
Chapter 6
Back to Godhead
“October 21, 1966. I walk into Swamiji’s room, offer obeisances, and he hands me the first three volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which he had printed in India.
“Here,” he says. “Take and read.”
I open the books. In the front of each, he has written my spiritual name. “With my best blessings, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.”
“Oh, thank you, Swamiji,” I say.
“That’s all right,” he says, smiling. “Now you compile this Back To Godhead magazine.”
Back to Godhead! That is, we were there once. It’s a question of recovering a lost land. As Swamiji says: “I have come to remind you of what you have forgot.”
Following the orders of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, Swamiji began Back To Godhead in 1944. Published bi-monthly in India from 1944 to 1956, Back To Godhead established Swamiji as one of India’s leading personalists. Now Swamiji enjoins Rayarama and me to introduce it to the West.
“Work sincerely,” he tells us,”and make it as big as your Time Magazine.”
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05 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Devotee's, Srila Prabhupada Conversations
Tags: always think of Me, devotional service, Krishna consciousness movement, Madhudvisa Swami, man mana bhava mad bhakto, sinful activity, surrender to Krishna, there is no difficulty
There is no difficulty
Madhudvisa prabhu (repeating question to Srila Prabhupada): “We have been here for many lifetimes performing sinful activities. So is it possible to counteract all those sinful activities in one lifetime, or does it require many…?”
Srila Prabhupada: “One minute. That is Krishna consciousness movement. One minute. You are not reading Bhagavad Gita? What Krishna says? sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami (BG 18.66) ‘You surrender unto Me. Give up your all business. I will give you relief from all sinful reaction immediately.’ So it requires one minute. ‘My dear Krishna, I was forgotten. Now I understand. I fully surrender unto you.’ Then you become immediately free from all sinful reactions.
Without any reservation, without any politics, if you fully surrender, Krishna is assuring, aham tvam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah. He reassures, ‘Don’t worry whether I will be able to give you relief from all reaction’; ma sucah, finished, guaranteed. You do this. So how much time it requires to surrender to Krishna? Immediately you can do that. Surrender means you surrender and work as Krishna says.
That is surrender. What Krishna says to do? man mana bhava mad bhakto mad yaji mam namaskuru (BG 18.65); four things: ‘You always think of Me, and you become My devotee, you worship Me, and offer your respect, full obeisances unto Me’ You do these four things. That is full surrender. Mam evaisyasi asamsaya: ‘Then you come to Me without any doubt.’ Everything is there. Krishna has given everything fully. If you accept it, then life is very simple. There is no difficulty. Yes?”
05 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Pradyuma das
Tags: Acaryas, devotee, disciples, Godbrothers, guru, Initiation, Iskcon, Pradyumna das, Satsvarupa Maharaj, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, successor, Vrindavan
Same solution as desired by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
Pradyumna Prabhu (ACBSP): 7 August, 1978
Dear Satsvarupa Maharaj,
Please accept my most humble obeisances.
Maharaj, I am writing you this letter with GREAT anxiety in my heart and after days and days and long nights of thought and careful consideration.
I have been staying in Vrndavan for some time and have not visited any other center recently except Delhi. Therefore, my information I have about what is happening at our other centers comes only from devotees visiting here, occasional letters, newsletters and our society’s magazine and other publications. But the news I hear from these sources is very alarming and therefore I am writing you in some anxiety.
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04 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Bhagavat das, Book Changes, Devotee's
Tags: bhagavad-gita, Bhagavat das, book changes, devotee, Gour Govinda Swami, Jayawaita Swami, Krishna, Sanskrit, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam, Surpreme Personality of Godhead
Leave the books alone!
by Bhagavat das
My Dear Godbrothers and Godsisters:
Please accept my most humble obeisances! All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I am very glad that we as disciples of Srila Prabhupada are finally doing something about this great offense to our Spiritual Master. I would like to tell three stories that are personal experiences of mine with Srila Prabhupada and his books. It is my earnest hope that these stories will once and for all lay to rest the controversy of anyone ever editing Srila Prabhupadas books.
The first story takes place in Mayapur where Srila Prabhupada was talking about why he came to the material world.
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04 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Hayagriva das, The Hare Krishna Explosion
Tags: beads, chant and sing the Lord's holy names, chapter 5, devotees, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna, Hare Rama, hayagriva das, Krishna Krishna, Mott Street, Rama Rama, Srila Prabhupada, Swamiji, the hare krishna explosion, The Hare Krishna Movement, vegetarian
The Hare Krishna Explosion
by Hayagriva Prabhu
Part I: New York, 1966
Chapter 5
The Hare Krishna Explosion
“If Krishna sees you are taking one step toward Him,” Swamiji says, “He will take ten toward you. He is so happy to see you turn to Him. He is more eager to see us return to Godhead than we are to go.”
Back in the Mott Street apartment, I stare at myself in the mirror and repeat my new name. “Now you are Krishna’s,” I think, inspecting the new kanthi beads around my neck. “These are Krishna’s dog collars, and they don’t come off.”
We all optimistically resolve to try to follow the rules. For most of us, meat eating and gambling pose no problems. Rules governing sex and intoxicants, however, force some rapid changes in living patterns. I decide to convert the old Mott Street apartment into a brahmachari ashram. Down come the psychedelic posters, and up go pictures of lotus-eyed Krishna.
The next day at the temple, we find a new notice posted on the bathroom door. There are additional rules and regulations written neatly in ink by Swamiji himself.
NOTICE
All initiated devotees must attend morning and evening classes. Must not be addicted to any kind of intoxicants, including coffee, tea and cigarettes. They are forbidden to have illicit sex-connections. Must be strictly vegetarian. Should not extensively mix with non-devotees. Should not eat foodstuffs cooked by non-devotees. Should not waste time in idle talks nor engage in frivolous sports. Should always chant and sing the Lord’s holy names, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Thank you.
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Acharya
Umapati says nothing when he reads the notice. Rayarama simply chuckles.
“No coffee, no tea,” he says, shaking his head.
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